JOHNGIBSON It’s all ready to kick off once again...
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CAN you remember seeing Nabil Bentaleb, Valentino Lazaro and Danny Rose, who were fleetingly loaned to Newcastle United just before shutdown?
Can you also remember casting eyes upon Andy Carroll, who last appeared even further back?
And can you even remember witnessing a Joelinton Premier League goal, which is as rare a sight as a nightingale in full voice?
Well, the first four are about to walk amongst us again as United return to Premier League action and perhaps, just perhaps, a second Joelinton strike will arrive before the short break ahead of doing it all over again.
Matty Longstaff, on t’other hand, could be as visible as Lord Lucan and Howard Hughes rolled into one. He is already in the departure lounge unless a last-minute call comes over the tannoy.
Steve Bruce will still be pitchside of course prowling his technical box, pushing for positive results to complete a full season in charge of his home-town club, but like so many with an uncertain future depending upon takeover and a new path plotted ahead.
Yes, we have missed so much for so long and while we will witness action once again in a fortnight’s time it will be through the eyes of the live television cameras rather than our own gaze from within SJP.
How will it affect the performers? It will certainly affect us. A sanitised version of the real thing devoid of noise, intimacy, fan camaraderie etc. Still, it will be better than a total void.
And of course we dreamers can dream. Not of PL safety, which must certainly come, but FA Cup glory which is far from certain.
If United want to kill off any lingering talk of relegation pretty smartish then they have the ideal opportunity upon resumption with their first three league matches being against Sheffield United (won there), Aston Villa and Bournemouth. I look forward to it all. I want to see if...
■ ANY of the loan lads are worth keeping.
■ IF Allan Saint Maximin can provide a bit more excitement with his extravagant stepovers and dashes.
■ IF Miggy Almiron is still the Duracell bunny who this time can add a few more goals to his repertoire.
■ WHETHER Jonjo Shelvey will end up as an unlikely top scorer while improving the consistency to his game.
■ IF ace performer Martin Dubravka can become a PL everpresent aided by the long delay which has eased his injury mishap.
■ IF Joelinton has a genuine future.
■ WHAT the “caged bear” will bring to the show. That’s how Steve Bruce has described Andy Carroll in training. Well, he’s been caged for long enough – the 30-year-old has managed just 11 minutes of football in 2020 after struggling to recover from a hip injury. Carroll has a worse goalscoring record than that other guy. None so far since his return. There is plenty, isn’t there, to prevent this from being a waste of time.
We all need something positive after the horrendous impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the never-ending uncertainty of the Newcastle takeover because of TV piracy concerns.
The initial disbelief that Mike Ashley would at last agree to sell then the elation at a consortium of mega financial clout taking over has given way to grinding impatience and mood swings.
So the thought of a season which we could never see stopping midflow and then believed might never start again actually getting back on track is a definite plus.
Bring on the Saint and the Duracell Bunny, our very own Yul Brynner and the Keeper Of The Faith, Ordinary Joe and the Caged Bear. Let it all begin again.